Several of the asylum seekers who were taken to Saharonim prison Sunday evening after police forcefully broke up their protest on the border with Egypt, announced that they had begun a hunger strike.

They repeated calls made previously for the UN to take action to secure their release from Israeli prisons. They also demanded that authorities begin reviewing their requests to receive refugee status.

The Israeli Prison Service only recognizes hunger strikes after three meals have been refused by the protestor. (Omri Ephraim)